# Whedon idolatry is scaring me **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 5, 2005, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865 "2005-10-05T12:04:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/21 "2005-10-05T16:52:51Z")
> [@Fortean](#): > > Heh, glad you noticed. I’m a bit one-note today, it’s true. > > And duh, of course I was joking about the cult thing. Oh, good. Let’s just get this shuffled off to MPSIMS then, shall we? > [@even sven](#): > > blah, blah, blah (paraphrased by me) _sigh_ never mind. Guess we’re in the right place after all. Commence pile-on, my Whedonarian collegues! (And, just for you, **Fortean** , I’m going to put up my first signature ever. Enjoy!) ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/22 "2005-10-05T16:53:45Z")
Okay, I am a huge Whedon fan and not ashamed to admit it. Buffy, Angel, Firefly, love 'em all. I went to one of the Serenity screenings, even. But sending hate mail over a really fabulous review? What the fuck is that? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/23 "2005-10-05T16:53:56Z")
> [@](#): > > (And, just for you, Fortean, I’m going to put up my first signature ever. Enjoy!) :smack: That would have had much more panache had I figured out how to do it in time. I’m such a Xander… ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/24 "2005-10-05T16:58:00Z")
I don’t understand the Whedon obsessives either.Especially the ones who endlessly bang on about what an ‘adventurous’ and ‘courageous’ writer he is because he occasionally squeezes out the odd Buffy episode with an extra gimmick or two. The guy writes one note, one dimensional fluff that can only afford to be experimental because it’s one note, one dimensional fluff and no-one gives a shit. To all my inevitable detractors I have 6 small words, arranged in two sentences. Alien Resurrection. Now go fuck yourselves. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/25 "2005-10-05T17:02:59Z")
Hail, hail Whedonia, land of the brave and free! ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/26 "2005-10-05T17:03:00Z")
Joss Whedon is my Master Now. > **[ThinkGeek - Shirts, Toys, Collectibles & More | GameStop](https://www.gamestop.com/toys-games/thinkgeek)** > > View all results for thinkgeek. Search our huge selection of new and used video games at fantastic prices at GameStop. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/27 "2005-10-05T17:06:05Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Isn’t this the same board where I have seen members vigorously pimp-slapped for even very obvious “humorous” alterations using the quote function? Shit, maybe I’ll get banned! :eek: It is true that one has to be careful about altered text within quote tags. My understanding of our quote rules is that any changes within quote tags have to be clearly labeled. Some unlabeled quote alterations have also been allowed when they are obviously not original quotes, although the burden of sufficient obviousness is on the person altering quote tags, so I would recommend erring on the side of caution there. For example, posts like this have been allowed: > [@some user](#): > > \ whereas a post like this might draw a warning (presuming it’s a misquote, of course): > [@some user](#): > > I love Joss Whedon and want to marry him, blah blah blah. Hope that helps. If you still feel the rules on quoting are unclear or unfair, I’d be happy to discuss it further in another thread. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/28 "2005-10-05T17:14:54Z")
Cripes. I’m a Buffy fan, but haven’t seen Angel and have seen an ep of Firefly and didn’t really care. But unless I’m wildly misinterpreting the OP (and **even sven** ’s post), it’s not “People who like Joss Whedon’s stuff are idiotic assholes who are fuckin’ CULT MEMBERS who can’t think for themselves!” It’s talking about those who are _too_ freaking obsessed. The ones who have counterparts in all fandoms, like the guy who memorizes his baseball team’s stats for the past 40 years and insists on talking to you about baseball even though you’ve _said_ you’re not interested. The scrapbooking fanatic who talks about vellum and stamping and acid free paper even though you have no interest, because, as they insist, it really is _ever_ so interesting, and so I’ll keep blabbing on about it because eventually you’ll agree with me! And can anyone here actually say that sending _hate mail_ to someone who gave a _good review_ of their highly anticipated movie is NOT complete idiocy? _Those_ are the people being pitted here, not people who say, “God, I LOVE Joss Whedon’s stuff!” and watch and talk to other fans but don’t harass others who feel differently. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/29 "2005-10-05T17:21:31Z")
One thing that struck me in that post: “They were angry that I pointed out that critics generally didn’t like that show.” What? The critical response to the show was overwhelmingly positive. Now I’m starting to wonder about the actual nature and qauntity of the “hate mail” this guy received. ---
**Author:** ![Fortean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fortean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fortean)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/30 "2005-10-05T17:26:54Z")
'K, some of you are scaring me proper. 😃 Specially that t-shirt thing. > [@](#): > > Oh, look at that. even sven making sweeping declarations about things she only dimly understands. That’s new. I’d LOVE for you to tell me what ‘sweeping declarations’ of even sven were wrong. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/31 "2005-10-05T17:29:15Z")
> [@JerH](#): > > But listen to a Whedon acolyte sometime explain how the Buffybot and the puppet episode of _Angel_ weren’t mind-numbingly stupid ideas, and only then will you truly understand the mania. OK, I’ll bite… how are either of those two things stupid, let alone mind-numbingly so? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/32 "2005-10-05T17:39:51Z")
Well, I’ll go out on a limb and say the Buffy-bot and puppet-Angel were stupid. The bot was stupid, because even a genius can’t make robots that life-like, and the puppet… well, it’s a damn puppet. This is not to say I wasn’t entertained by these stupid things. But to deny that there isn’t stupid elements to them is kinda silly. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/33 "2005-10-05T17:40:19Z")
I don’t care for Whedon one way or the other. Firefly was the only thing I saw by him that didn’t suck… and I felt no urge to rearrange my schedule to watch that either. If someone gives me the box set of Firefly, I’d probably watch them all eventually, and I’ll may see Serenity on DVD eventually too… or not. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/34 "2005-10-05T17:42:12Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Well, I’ll go out on a limb and say the Buffy-bot and puppet-Angel were stupid. The bot was stupid, because even a genius can’t make robots that life-like, and the puppet… well, it’s a damn puppet. This is not to say I wasn’t entertained by these stupid things. But to deny that there isn’t stupid elements to them is kinda silly. pssst. No one can make a vampire, either! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/35 "2005-10-05T17:44:12Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > OK, I’ll bite… how are either of those two things stupid, let alone mind-numbingly so? Fuck if i know. I recognize he’s had some stinkers (\*Alien Resurrection pops immediately to mind, as does the episode of Angel that centered on whatshername, the bimbo secretary in W&H), but the Buffybot and the Muppet Angel were comedy gold. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/36 "2005-10-05T17:45:38Z")
> [@Fortean](#): > > I’d LOVE for you to tell me what ‘sweeping declarations’ of even sven were wrong. All of them? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/37 "2005-10-05T17:45:41Z")
> [@JerH](#): > > I liked _Firefly_, and tolerate _Buffy_ and _Angel_. But listen to a Whedon acolyte sometime explain how the Buffybot and the puppet episode of _Angel_ weren’t mind-numbingly stupid ideas, and only then will you truly understand the mania. I’m indifferent to the bot, but I thought the puppet episode was hilarious. Especially Fred squeeing over Angel’s hair. Some Firefly fans are unable to let go. Especiallly when I mention that I liked Buffy and loved Angel, they won’t stand for me not having an interest in Firefly. Those people are annoying. But if you think that fans of Buffy or Angel should just roll over and agree with you when your tastes differ, then you are the annoying one. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/38 "2005-10-05T17:47:14Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > pssst. > > No one can make a vampire, either! > > 😃 Heh. We tend to suspend disbelief to a certain level, but there’s limits. Sort of reminds me of a Far Side cartoon where a man mosquito is coming home from work, and Gary Larson got a bunch of mail pointing out that it’s the female that goes out and sucks blood. The mosquito wearing a business suit and hat, living in a house, talking, etc, was no problem, but dammit the male doesn’t suck blood! ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/39 "2005-10-05T18:09:06Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I recognize he’s had some stinkers (\*Alien Resurrection pops immediately to mind, as does the episode of Angel that centered on whatshername, the bimbo secretary in W&H) _Harm’s Way_ was hilarious. It had a camel, fergodsake! Now if you really want some Whedon stinkers, I give you BtVS _Bad Eggs_ and AtS _I Fall to Pieces_. ---
**Author:** ![Obsidian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/51bf81/32.png) [@Obsidian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obsidian)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865/40 "2005-10-05T18:23:21Z")
Some people’s habit of blowing off complaints or criticisms with “oh, that’s just Joss,” really pisses me off. There’s a part in the movie (if you’ve seen it, you know what I’m talking about) that I really didn’t like. My friends attending with me (all big whedon fans), are all, “Oh, that’s standard Joss. He just does stuff like that.” WTF? That is not a valid response to criticism. I’m sorry, but he’s not so special that anything he does is great just for the simple fact that he thought it up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whedon-idolatry-is-scaring-me/324865.md?page=3)